Heaven Bound

“After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, ‘Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews. We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him’” Matthew 1:1-2

We’re all familiar with this passage of scripture. How the wise men followed the star to Bethlehem to see the new born Jesus. Actually, Jesus was about two years old when they arrived, the journey from the East (Babylon) a long one. The wise men or Magi as they were known knew the Hebrew scriptures well and had long waited (and watched) for this day. And when it finally arrived they saddled up their camels and set out on a journey that would change their lives.

I have often thought how exciting it must have been for them to make that journey. To see the word of God fulfilled in their generation. God overtly at work in bringing about his plan of redemption. Then it occurred to me that we have been blessed in a similar way.  On September 23, 2017, the Revelation 12 sign will appear in the heavens.  And with that information we all have the opportunity for our lives to be equally changed. But like any journey it requires a first step. A saddling of the camel you might say. For if the wise men had never saddled their camels they would never have met the King.

Many are not aware that God designed the sun, moon and stars not just for light and for seasons but also for signs.

“And God said, Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from night and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years …” Genesis 1:14

And this is one of those signs. Perhaps one of the most significant to be found in all of scripture.  An indication that God is on the move and that history and life as we know it is going to change in the most radical way possible. A sign this big, this prominent is indicative of a likewise big event.  To say that it is unparalleled would not be an understatement.

Where do you stand on this? Are you a curious by stander? A skeptic?  The sign of Revelation 12 waits for no one. It is coming. The heavens were designed in anticipation of this day.  The Church is about to be caught up to heaven and the 7 year tribulation is about to commence.

If you’re not familiar with these terms get a Bible and read the latter part of the book of Revelation. You don’t need to understand it all to grasp the point that this earth is not a place you will want to be when all of this gets underway.

The only thing you need to do is to respond to God’s gracious invitation for salvation. I’ve listed a few verses below to help you in that decision.

“Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest” Matthew 11:28

“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” Acts 16:31

“If you declare with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9.

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hearts my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person and they with me” Revelation 3:20

“… I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation” 2 Corinthians 6:2

Yes, today is the day of salvation. Get on that camel and follow that star – the time for meeting the King is near. Are you ready?

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem they shall prosper who love thee” Psalm 122:6

Watching and waiting with YOU for the soon, the very soon, return of Jesus! Cindy

“If the path be beautiful ask not where it leads”

Some time ago, I received a copy of one of my favorite home and garden magazines. The cover of the magazine looked something like this. Inscribed across the top of the cover were these words, “If the path be beautiful ask not where it leads”.  And while those words may sound exciting if not out right tantalizing it actually makes for poor advice for we all know there are many things in life that appear beautiful but in the end are anything but.  And this is particularly true in the spiritual realm.

The Beautiful Side of Evil

When we think of deceiving spirits, we think of them as dark and malevolent; the path on which they travel equally dark and dank and full of brambles. But deception by its very nature is exactly the opposite. In other words, it is often the path that seems the brightest that is the most dangerous of all – the one that appears most sunlit that leads to the darkest of places.

The Bible warns us of these things.

The apostle John in 1 John 4:1 has this to say:

“Beloved do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see if they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out in to the world.”

And in 2 Corinthians 11:14 –

“And no marvel, for Satan himself is transformed in to an angel of light”

And that is what makes it so hard. For who would believe that anything so seemingly good, so beautiful, so full of “light” could be so bad.

Poppies, poppies, poppies ….

Remember in the movie “The Wizard of Oz” when Dorothy and her companions were overcome by the scent of poppies. How beautiful the path they were traveling until it turned deadly.  Sadly many individuals (and religious organizations) operate their spiritual lives in very much the same way. Mesmerized by the beauty of the path (they are on) they fail to see or consider where it may lead. They assume that they know but a false assumption is a deadly assumption. The fragrance of beauty, the fragrance of death.

“There is a path before a person that seems right, but it ends in death” Proverbs 14:12 (NLT)

In closing todays post, I would like to pose some questions for thought.

What path are you on? Have you thought about it?  It may be beautiful, it may feel good, it may even be religious. But where does it lead?

The Bible tells us that there is only one road, one path, one way to heaven and that is through Jesus Christ. Jesus himself said,

“I am the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father except through me” John 14:6

Is the Jesus you believe in the Jesus of the Bible? If he is not, he cannot save you. Be careful (I’ll say it again) that the Jesus you believe in is the Jesus of the Bible. Not the brother of Satan, the archangel Michael or a good and righteous teacher. If one of those so mentioned  is your “Jesus”, he cannot save you! You are on the wrong path!

Do not be deceived!

Are you trusting in your own good works? Do you think you can live anyway you choose as long as your good out weighs your bad? Do you live your life with the false assumption that there is in the heavenly realm a scale which registers not in pounds but in good and bad deeds as a prerequisite for entering the pearly gates?  If this is what you believe, know now that the gates will be closed to you. You will not enter. No one enters heaven by their deeds.

Do not be deceived!

The Bible says that there is none righteous, “no, not one”  Romans 3:10

“For by grace you are saved through faith, and not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast” Ephesians 2:8,9

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In just a few days, we will celebrate resurrection Sunday. Jesus went to the cross to pay for our sins. He gave up his life in order to give us life. This was the path he chose because of his great love for us. No man could atone for the sins of another. Only God himself who was sinless was able to pay the price. God came down …. entered the human realm in order to make a way of salvation for us. Its a free gift, by faith ….. we can’t earn it, we can’t buy it. It is solely and completely a gift for which we will have all of eternity to say thank you.  The way of the cross was not pretty …. but its the only path that truly leads to a beautiful end.

If you don’t know Jesus as your Savior please make that decision today. The days of grace are quickly coming to a close. Don’t be left behind.

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem they shall prosper who love thee” Psalm 122:6

Watching and waiting with YOU for the soon return of Jesus!  Cindy

It was sobering this week to see this headline in the news –  “North Korea Could Soon Launch Attack on Hawaii”  – an article you can read here if you have not done so already.  After living in Hawaii on the island of  Oahu for 14 years, I have developed a love for the islands and the people of Hawaii in a way that for me is as close as family. It is my second home.

On February 20th, 2008 I had a very vivid dream which was as disturbing in content as it was distressing in nature. The dream involved a mushroom cloud indicating a nuclear event over the Diamond Head side of the island of Oahu. I was so impressed by this dream that I committed it to memory that night and made sure to write it down the next morning. It was a dream that was hard to forget and even though it has been some years now it is one I have never forgotten.

In 2012, I wrote extensively regarding the dream in a three part series titled “Echoes of a Paradise Lost” after reading that fellow blogger William Frederick at End Times Forecaster had had a similar type dream on Feb 20th (same date as mine) except in 2012 – four years later. For this reason, I thought it might be good (in light of recent headlines) to revisit the subject again. I spoke with William via e-mail this week and he agreed and has re-posted some of his original information and thoughts on the subject on his blog today which you can read here.

For parts one, two and three on my original series, you can find them here, here and here.

As of this writing, I do not have any additional insight in to some of the other components of the dream. Is the word Wisconsin relevant? If so, in what way? Why would William Frederick and I have similar type dreams on the same date but in different years?  Is God warning in advance that our beloved islands could suffer a second Pearl Harbor? An event so terrible that it would eclipse even the original which was so horrific at the time that it was termed by President Roosevelt as “a day that would live in infamy”.

I don’t know. We watch and pray.

Please pray for the safety and protection of these islands …. and as always –

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem they shall prosper who love thee” Psalm 122:6

Watching and Waiting with YOU for the soon return of Jesus!  Cindy

“I will destroy your witchcraft and you will no longer cast spells” Micah 5:12

Last night there was a call for witches across the country to convene at midnight for casting a spell on President Trump (and all who aid and abet him) in an effort to drive him from office. An indication (as if there were any doubt remaining) that the struggle is not one of political ideology alone but rather a struggle for spiritual control over the nation. The enemy (the forces of darkness) sense an open door and are rapidly mobilizing to take advantage of the opportunity.

I was reading in Jonathan Cahn’s “Book of Mysteries” this week and he points out why in the Bible (and Jewish thought) the day begins at evening. It is our tendency to think that day begins with sunrise and ends in the evening at sunset. But this is not true, at least not in God’s way of thinking ….. for spiritually (if we know God) ….. we never go from light to darkness but rather darkness to light. A telling sign for those who practice their magic arts for those who do so, do so under the cover of darkness. And why – because as the Bible says:

“Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come in to the light for fear that their evil deeds will be exposed” John 3:20

And evil it is. Not just because there are those who dislike Trump (even hate him) but because the platform from which they operate are rooted in rebellion of which darkness is a symbol.

Referencing Jonathan Cahn once again from his”Book of Mysteries” he explains that every time we express the words, “I AM” we are referencing God … whether we know it or not … for “I AM” is the name by which God revealed himself to Moses as and is the name in which Jesus used for himself enraging the Pharisees because they understood that he was saying he was God in the flesh. Therefore, each time we declare – I am anything …. “I am Cindy” …. ” I am going to work” or “ I am going shopping” ….. I am referencing first the name of God, then myself … which spiritually speaking is the proper order of things.

Which if true, (and it is) then the opposite must also be true regarding the words “I will”.  Remember when Lucifer, the fallen angel was cast out of heaven, he used the words, “I will” …. “I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the most High“. Which is why, as Christians we often use the words “God willing” in regard to the things that we do or intend to do – rather than, “I will”.   For it is not what we will, but what He wills that matters.

Which also explains then why witchcraft is such a grievous sin – for it is the ultimate form of rebellion as it seeks power from the original rebel himself…. and is rooted in the words, “I will” rather than what the sovereign God of the Universe wills.

Which reminds me of these words from Ephesians 6:11-12

“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places”.

Yes, the enemy words under cover of darkness …. but, we who are of the light be encouraged as we remember this. It takes but the strike of a single match …. and darkness is dispelled. For darkness by its very nature can never over take the light.

^“Then Jesus said  unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” John 8:12

May we as children of the light walk in the light and the love of Jesus in these last days.

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem they shall prosper who love thee” Psalm 122:6

Watching and waiting with YOU for the soon return of Jesus!  Cindy

*All images courtesy of google images

“Whoever quarries stones may be injured by them” Ecclesiastes 10

Right now, there seems to be a lot of quarrying of stones out there (along with out and out rock throwing and mud slinging) in social media. The problem with quarrying stones is that they can either be used to build something useful, even monumental or they can simply crush you beneath their weight.

I’m talking about some of most mean spirited, disrespectful and vulgar postings on social media one can imagine regarding those who are currently in political disfavor – including lewd images that would make a sailor blush. Its one thing to express a dissenting opinion … another to slip in to vulgarity that serves no purpose except for the shock value contained within and the humiliation of the one it is aimed at . And far from being harmless as some would argue what postings of this nature do is add weight to an already tense and emotional situation by being destructive and divisive – which does nothing to improve the situation but rather keeps a simmering pot at just below a boil.

I was looking at some colorized photos today of the Civil War. Amazing how much more relevant they appear when changed from black and white to color. Almost as if the photos once changed became infused with a life they previously had not had. Gray ghostly images were suddenly no longer looking in to the camera from the distant past but rather towards the future it seemed – a future not yet written and to a generation who would need the wisdom of the lessons that they had learned in order that the past be not repeated.

And for that reason we can and must resolve to make a difference. For if things continue in the way they are going we are headed to an unthinkable future. Do we really want a Gettysburg in our generation?  A battle that killed or injured as many as 28,000 Americans in three short days. And that was just one battle. I pray not!

So what can we do?  First of all we can lead by example. We must set a standard for ourselves in regard to social media – and when I say social media I am not just talking about Facebook or Twitter but also the comments section of news stories that we read and e-mail that is passed along. We can’t do much about the “professional” media but we can choose to govern our selves and seek to influence that which is within our own personal sphere – which means being thoughtful about both what we post – and what we receive. In other words we need to ask ourselves these questions – is it helpful, is it beneficial, is it accurate and true and most importantly of all – is it pleasing to God?

Are the stones that we quarry useful? Or are we in danger of being crushed beneath their weight?

Something to think about.

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem they shall prosper who love thee” Psalm 122:6

Watching and waiting with YOU for the soon return of Jesus!  Cindy

  Almond Blossoms

“The word of the Lord came to me, What do you see Jeremiah? I see the branch of an almond tree, I replied. The Lord said to me, You have seen correctly , for I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled”. Jeremiah 1:11-12

If there was ever a time for watching its now! Not only are we watching for the soon return of Jesus but the Lord himself is watching to see that his word is fulfilled. A comforting promise in these turbulent times for nothing escapes his view or is beyond his grasp.

A few years ago, I wrote a post titled “Awaken and Watch, the blossoming of the Almond Tree”.  I will repost it here as the information is as fresh and pertinent as ever as once again it is the season for almonds and almond trees in Israel are currently now in bloom. When we study Bible prophecy, we understand that God uses agricultural metaphors in a number of ways which provide important information in understanding God’s prophetic plan and where we are on God’s prophetic timetable.

Well, here it is: Awaken and Watch, the Blossoming of the Almond Tree

https://cindybythesea.com/2012/01/07/awaken-and-watch-the-blossoming-of-the-almond-tree/

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem they shall prosper who love thee” Psalm 122:6

Watching and waiting with YOU for the soon return of Jesus!  Cindy

In case you hadn’t noticed it’s almost Valentines day again.  A fact department stores have worked hard to bring to our attention since just about midnight on Christmas day. Yes, Santa had no more than said “and to all a good night” when the elves were shelved, the reindeer put on notice and Cupid notified to start stringing his bow.

Love. Just the word evokes a warm fuzzy feeling. And not just romantic love but love in all of its forms. Love between spouses, love among family, love between friends, love for a pet, love for the things we love. In other words, we just love – love!   And why not, love is a beautiful thing!

The Bible has a lot to say about love. In fact, if it were not for love it would never have been written. For what is the Bible except a love letter from God. And God by his very nature is love. An attribute we share with him by virtue of being created in his image. For as it says in 1 John 4:19 –

“We love because he first loved us”

In other words without God first expressing his love toward us we ourselves would be incapable of loving.  For there is nothing (as opposed to what evolutionists would have us to believe) in crawling out of the primordial slime that would drive us towards love…. in fact, the opposite would be true. For the survival of the fittest would embody the exact opposite of what the Bible tells us about love, which is –

“Love is patient, love is kind, it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails” 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Yes, love never fails. It cannot because he does not. So, when we look around the culture and we see envy, anger, slander, violence, boasting, and pride demonstrated against others we know that the root of such behavior is not rooted in love but in something else. Therefore as tempting as it may be at times we cannot respond in like manner but instead must always remember this:

“God demonstrates his own love toward us in this: While we were yet sinners Christ died for us” Romans 5:8

And for that reason we can do no less.

Which is when I think about it the real color of love after all.

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem they shall prosper who love thee” Psalm 122:6

Watching and waiting with YOU for the soon return of Jesus!  Cindy

Massive Jelly Fish Die Off Turn This Australian Beach Blue

It’s been a phenomenon that is just not going away since the Fukushima disaster of 3/11/11. Fish, animals and birds have been dying off at unprecedented rates and in massive numbers all around the world in the past 6 years.  And while attempts have been made to identify the cause there appears to be in most the cases no natural explanation outside the fact that all have occurred since the Fukushima disaster. And now the latest news out of Japan from Tepco, (the Tokyo Electric Power Company) is that radiation levels have now reached the highest they have been since the initial disaster and are in fact at this point in time at unimaginable levels.

According to reports over the past couple of days the levels have now reached  an incredible 530 Sieverts which (according to this report) is “strong enough to kill a machine designed to withstand just such an occurrence in less than an hour”.  Alarming when one considers that just 10 Sieverts in a human is enough to cause death in a matter of weeks making this the worst environmental disaster in history …. and that is just the start …. for the Fukushima disaster is basically unstoppable.

Up until now birds, fish and animals have been primarily affected. I call this the “canary in a coal mine effect“. Remember in the old days (before our current sophisticated technology) when a canary would be taken down in to a mine to test for high levels of lethal fumes ….. the miners knew that if the bird died it was time to get out …. apparently the delicate constitution of the bird caused it to succumb before the humans could be affected –  which I think applies here ….

…. the massive animal, fish and bird die off around the world is a warning I believe that radiation as a result of Fukushima is affecting the entire planet …. for we know that radiation as been leaking in to the Pacific unchecked since the day of the disaster and is even now being carried into the gulf stream and picked up by the atmosphere.  And while it may appear at this time that humans have not been affected one report I read put it this way “as cancer deaths increase in these next few years many will die as a result of Fukushima and never know it” … wow!

The Bible speaks of this in the book of Hosea as well as in the book of Revelation. All related to end time events.

“The beasts of the field and the birds of the air and the fish of the sea are dying” Hosea 4:3

For a list of the most recent animal and fish die offs just google the subject or take a look at this article here.

Friends, our world is in terrible trouble. The Bible has told us ahead of time what to expect. It is only going to get worse. The Fukushima disaster alone is the stuff of our worst nightmares. I urge you to pass this information on to all that you know. For it can and will and is affecting all of us. No one will be exempt. Our world is changing and it will never again be the same.

Friends, if you don’t know Jesus today I urge you to do so. He is wonderful, he loves us more than we can ever know and he is the only way out of this mess.

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem they shall prosper who love thee”  Psalm 122:6

Watching and waiting with YOU for the soon return of Jesus!  Cindy

“Taking the child by the hand, He said to her Talitha kum! (which translated means, “little girl, I say to you, rise up!”

From Super Bowl 51 to the heavily charged politics which have polarized the nation in the past few days and months it seems like the slogan “rise up” has become the mantra of just about everyone these days. With words that demand action, it is becoming more than likely that the struggle that the nation has found itself embroiled in will continue long after the struggle on the football field is over tomorrow.

I listened to someone the other day that likened the times in which we are currently living to both 1861 and 1941. The start of the Civil War and the start of WWII. The climate both home and abroad eerily similar to the days that preceded the start of both of those conflicts. We’ve all heard the saying that “history, if we do not learn from it is destined to repeat itself” and sadly, we are dangerously close to that being true. A fact that should give everyone pause for thought …. for a divided nation is a weak nation ….. and our enemies are not fools.

I’ve wondered what a Civil War might look like in our day and time. The Union blues and the Confederate greys, the blast of cannon smoke …. ghosts of the past revisiting our homes, our streets our cities. The conflict as you remember was a bitter one ….. one that pitted sometimes father against son, brother against brother and friend against friend (Facebook) in our day and time. And while now its primarily a war of words it has the become increasingly violent and will continue to be so until the conflict begins in earnest. A thought which makes me very sad and should be troubling to all.

Do people really know what they are asking? (Those who are inciting violence, rebellion and anarchy). No wonder Jesus said, “blessed are the peacemakers”.

I’m thinking now of one of our most endearing Patriotic songs:

O beautiful for spacious skies, For amber waves of grain, For purple mountains majesties above the fruited plain! America! America! God shed his grace on thee, And crown thy good with brother hood from sea to shining sea!

The thought of this once blessed and fruitful land being torn asunder is heart wrenching. And while I mourn in my spirit the dying of this great nation, I am comforted by knowing that even in these tumultuous times things are not beyond the grasp of our heavenly Father and are in fact, well within his control. A sign I believe, (all things considered) that the bridegroom Jesus is very near to speaking these words to the young maiden who is destined to be his bride and like the little girl he called forth from death to life will say these words – rise up!

My beloved spoke and said to me, “Arise, my love, my beautiful one and come away with me!” Song of Songs 2:10

Yes, friends …. we are going home soon!

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem they shall prosper who love thee” Psalm 122:6

Watching and waiting with YOU for the soon return of Jesus!  Cindy

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You’ve Got Mail

I bid on this envelope on E-bay and won the bid for a whopping $3.00! Amazing as I had no idea what it might be worth and was actually just trying my hand at bidding in order to see how it worked.

I was immediately intrigued when I saw it. An unaddressed envelope bearing stamps and dual post marks from May 16, 1948; the first business day following the creation of the new Jewish state of Israel. It’s interesting how on one corner it reads “last day of Postal Service under British Mandate” while the other reads “first day of Jewish Postal Service”.  But what is even more amazing to me is the fact that May 16, 1948 was Pentecost on the Gentile calendar. The dual stamps a subtle nod (I believe) to the history of that day and the changing of the times.

I won the bid on this envelope in mid-December and had given up all hope of receiving it as day after day passed with nothing inn my mail box. I had just about decided that I had been snookered out of my 3 bucks … then all of the sudden just a couple of days ago … there it was! Wow, it had actually arrived and I was so excited. The reason it had taken so long – it was mailed to me from Sweden! I thought that was a little odd but the envelope is very old ….. I have no doubt its authentic. Perhaps, someone in Sweden is a collector of historical paraphernalia of all kinds. But what amazed me the most as I looked at it was the overwhelming realization that I not only held a piece of history in my hand ….. but, the fulfillment of Bible prophecy as well.

One Envelope, two peoples

I’ve thought about the date May 16, 1948 and the fact that it was Pentecost and it seems appropriate to me that the envelope bears stamps of both the former and the latter in light of that particular date ……Gentile, for the country was previously under British authority and Jewish, as a result of the newly born Jewish state. For what was Pentecost but the joining of the two (Jew and Gentile) to make one flesh, the body of Jesus, the body of Messiah. Which leads me to think that the date (May 16, 1948) could be a significant marker in determining the times in which we live ….. particularly, the end of the church age and the rapture of the church. For it was one day and one day only that the two appeared on one envelope … after which, all other postage would bear but one stamp and one postmark … the state of Israel.

Tower of David

It’s interesting also to note that the image of the tower of David is positioned between the two sets of stamps on the top of the envelope. If my typology is correct (one envelope, two peoples) why would the tower of David be the joining factor?

Per Wikipedia:

The tower of David, also known as the Jerusalem citadel, is an ancient citadel located near the Jaffa Gate entrance to the western edge of the old city of Jerusalem. The citadel that stands today dates to the Mamluk and Ottoman periods. It was built on an earlier ancient fortification of the Hasmonean, Herodian-era ….it includes important archaeological finds dating back over 2,000 years including a quarry dated to the First Temple period … the tower was dubbed “David’s Tower” in the 5th century by Byzantine Christians who believed the site to the be the palace of King David. They borrowed the name “tower of David” from Song of Songs 4:4 –

“Thy neck is like the tower of David built with turrets, whereon there hang a thousand shields, all the armor of the mighty men.”

And while this was not the site of David’s palace it was believed to be and the name remains to this day. By Jewish tradition, King David (a type and shadow of Messiah) was born and died on Pentecost and is also found in the imagery of Song of Songs, which also foreshadows the coming of Messiah, the beloved bridegroom for his bride, the Church.

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I have to say I have not got it all figured out but it has given me a lot to think about. The Church age is set to wrap up – the signs of the times are every where and maybe, just maybe the Lord has provided us with another possible clue …. mail that came via a slow boat from Sweden ….. it would be fun to think so.

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem they shall prosper who love thee” Psalm 122:6

Watching and waiting with YOU for the soon return of Jesus!  Cindy